Violin Graduation Punch, DIY Kit, Violin Making Tool for Thickness Marking

A graduation punch is an essential tool for luthiers when carving and adjusting the thickness of violin soundboards and backs. Its metal needle punches small marks in the wood, providing precise guides for the hollowing process and ensuring efficient thickness control. By using this tool, luthiers can eliminate the need for constant caliper measurements, streamlining the workflow.

During studying violin making in Cremona in Academia Cremonensis we got inspired in the tools and jigs section of the Stradivari Violin Museum. Our design is based on  traditional Stradivari Graduation Punch.

Kit content

This is a Do-it-yourself kit. It contains all necessary wooden blocks, sharpened needle and other metal hardware. The idea behind the kit is to save you a lot of time. Feel free to use our drawings and procure your own material. If you like our work, please be so kind and share the link to this page to other luthiers.

PDF Drawings

Complete drawings in PDF format can be downloaded from this page section Download Files.

Hardwood Blocks

 We selected locally grown high quality hardwood (mostly Ash tree), which was slowly dried to carpentry quality. Next we planed it into required sizes:

• Handle, 520 x 32 x 23mm
• Base, 435 x 36 x 36mm
• Handle Stop, 140 x 36 x 15mm
• Handle Support, 140 x 36 x 25mm
• Anvil, 25 x 22 x 22mm
• Thickness Gauge, 150 x 10 x 8mm

All we left to you is to have fun - drill, saw and chisel them into final shape.

Stainless Steel Hardware

All necessary stainless steel hardware is included in the kit:

• Wing Nut M6, 2 pcs, DIN315
• Hex Nut M6, 2 pcs, DIN934
• Washer M6, 2 pcs, DIN125A
• Square-Neck Carriage Bolt M6x40, 1 pc, DIN603
• Square-Neck Carriage Bolt M6x60, 1 pc, DIN603
• Punch Needle M6x100, 1pc, Custom made

Blog Article

Read our article Building a Violin Graduation Punch.